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Voice Technology Research Disability Project

Last year I started a survey about voice search and disability as I noticed when I attended conferences people were talking about voice search but no one was mentioning about how it was helping those who are disabled.

ComScore projected that 50% of all searches would be voice search by 2020, but there has been limited information about voice search helping those who may be blind/partially sighted, deaf or unable to speak clearly or use their hands.

I was fortunate to be introduced to Lily earlier this month and we are relaunching the project with updated questions about how voice search can help those who are disabled. If voice search is inaccessible then we want to ensure that something is done to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be connected to this technology.

Lily shares her thoughts on the project:

“As someone who has been disabled all my life, and have recently begun working in digital marketing, researching accessibility online and through technology is very important to me. This project is very interesting and will be used to inform leaders in voice technology where their focus should be next. By drawing attention to a key part of their audience, accessibility will hopefully become a key focus for those developing voice technologies. It is crucial to consider disabled people as part of the audience for a product and service and to understand that not all those with disabilities have the same needs, but by endeavouring to understand these needs more, it is increasingly possible to try and cater for a wide variety of people.

As a deaf person, voice technologies have been inaccessible to me, but I can see with a transcription facility, I would be able to orally ask a question and to read the response. However, it is important to note that voice technologies may never be accessible for some disabled people, but this research allows us to know where technology industries can move forward and progress to ensure all products and services are made with disabled people in mind”